Couple find cannabis farm

A HOUSE-hunting couple stumbled across a major cannabis farm while viewing a property. A red-faced estate agent conducting the tour quickly ushered shocked Scott Sinclair and Roxanne Brown out of the house after they came across three bedrooms which had been converted into a high-tech drugs factory.

A HOUSE-hunting couple stumbled across a major cannabis farm while viewing a property.

A red-faced estate agent conducting the tour quickly ushered shocked Scott Sinclair and Roxanne Brown out of the house after they came across three bedrooms which had been converted into a high-tech drugs factory.

The red-faced estate agent quickly ushered the couple, who are expecting their first child in a couple of months, out of the semi-detached home, which was up for rent at £695 per month.

Nightclub manager Scott, 22, who lives in Rochdale town centre, said: "As we went upstairs we could smell the cannabis really badly.

"We opened the first door and there were loads of cannabis plants in there with all the heating lamps and pipes set up as well.

"We just could not believe it - we didn't know what to do.

"The estate agent just looked shocked and said: 'We'd better get out of here'."

It's understood that the house had already been let by another estate agent without the knowledge of the estate agents who had arranged Scott and Roxanne's viewing.

On the estate agent's website the £695-a-month home on Rochdale's Shawclough Way was described as a 'well presented and extended semi-detached house situated in a desirable location offering superb family accommodation which must be viewed to be appreciated.'

Police later took possession of the 100 cannabis plants of varying maturity with a street value of £30,000.

Sergeant Brendan Walsh said: "While the circumstances in which we came across this cannabis farm are certainly bizarre, there has been an increasing amount of cannabis production going on.

"It does appear that a lot of these plants were in the early stages of development, so we have prevented a large amount of cannabis from reaching the streets."

"Cannabis has recently been reclassified from a class C to a class B drug so it is being treated more seriously now."

Two men were arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis. One has been arrested without charge and one has been bailed.